Valve has issued new rules that ban links from Steam page descriptions. This should hopefully put an end to demos that pretend to be 'prologue games.

Steam has just released new rules from Valve's HQ regarding what developers can or cannot include in the description section of their game store pages. Valve will enforce the new guidelines in early September. They are meant to curb a recent trend where store pages have been bloated with links to other websites and games.

Developers will no longer be allowed to link to other websites or Steam listings in the description sections of store pages. This will take effect from September. Embedded images that mimic the Steam UI will also be prohibited. No more gifs with a cursor clicking on the wishlist button.

In a blog post describing the rule changes, Valve stated that it has "been noticing more and more store page advertisements for OTHER Steam store pages." It can be confusing for users to visit a store page for a game to learn more and then have to wade through links and banners to the publisher's other games. Valve explained that if you have related products, you can create bundles, franchises or developer pages.

The new rules will help address the recent "prologue games" phenomenon. They will work in tandem with the earlier updates made to Steam's demo presentation in July. In an effort to gain more exposure, some developers and publishers are now releasing their demos as separate Steam listings. If I can look at a promising game without wondering if it's a demo, then the changes have been worth it.

The July changes allowed developers to give the demo of a game its own store page, which is thankfully very clear that you're viewing a demo. This was done without being charged a separate listing fee. Since store page descriptions will no longer be able link to other pages it is more difficult to publish a prologue.

Valve said that "we're not banning the ability to call a product 'Prologue,' but you'll find demos are a better way to build an audience and direct players to your full-game."

The good news is that developers will not have to worry about being punished for failing to remove links from their pages. Valve will release a Steam update in early September that will automatically detect and hide any links in the relevant sections.